Yup, we know eating less meat is so good for the body, but sometimes we just wanna sink our teeth into a burger! Thank goodness when it comes to meat-free burgers, there are now lots of options to choose from when that burger craving hits.

And more and more food companies have embraced the trend-Boca, Morningstar, and Gardenburger, for instance (just to name a few). But in offering their own spin on plant-based protein, have they come up with a burger that really tastes good?

This was the question the folks at the Huffington Post asked. With that in mind, they launched into a thorough taste-testing of a wide array of veggie burgers. They threw them on the grill in an attempt to separate the merely edible from the undeniably delectable.

To keep it interesting, they selected only one randomly-chosen variety per brand, including both vegetable-centric flavors and burgers that market themselves as approximating the flavor of beef. Further, their panel of tasters included both vegetarians and devoted meat-eaters who blindly evaluated each entry for its flavor, texture and overall satisfaction level. The results were surprising.

The Huffington folks also made it very clear that the brands included in their testing did not in any way influence the outcome of their test. (Know that prices may vary, depending on your locale.)

BOCA NON-GMO VEGAN BURGER received these comments: "Has a meaty texture." "Bland." "Very generic and chemical-y." "Tastes smoky like meat, like an overcooked meat patty." "Not tasteless, but like plastic."
Score: 4.0
Price: $4.99 for 4 ($1.24 each)
1 patty = 100 calories, 2.5g fat, 470mg sodium

AMY'S SONOMA VEGGIE BURGER did a little better: "Weird texture but pleasantly surprising taste! Dry though." "Weird aftertaste." "The texture reminded me of chicken." "Could be tasty with fixings."

Score: 5.8
Price: $4.99 for 4 ($1.24 each)
1 patty = 90 calories, 1.5g fat, 360mg sodium

ENGINE 2 POBLANO BLACK BEAN BURGER wasn't that much better: "Good flavor but the black beans were a bit overpowering." "This tastes like something I'd make at home when my heart is only half into it." "No seasoning." "Meh."

Score: 5.3
Price: $4.99 for 3 ($1.63 each)
1 patty = 130 calories, 2.5g fat, 100mg sodium

GARDEIN ULTIMATE BEEFLESS BURGER got some great reviews: "Tastes like my mom's meat loaf in a really great way. Love." "Most burger-like in texture and flavor. Heavy Worcestershire sauce. I'd go for round 2." "The most realistic!"
Score: 6.1
Price: $4.99 for 4 ($1.25 each)
1 patty = 130 calories, 4.5g fat, 320mg sodium

GARDEN BURGER ORIGINAL VEGGIE BURGER received even better ratings: "Cheesy and tasty! First burger that didn't seem dry and mealy." "A little bit greasy but satisfying the way greasy food - i.e. burgers - should. Overall, I'd have another." "It smelled great cooking!"

Score: 6.8
Price: $4.49 for 4 ($1.12 each)
1 patty = 110 calories, 3g fat, 490mg sodium

Finally, the overall winner, MORNINGSTAR GARDEN VEGGIE PATTIE. Here's what the testers found: "Very deep flavor, you can actually taste the vegetables." "Very satisfying!"

Score: 7.1
Price: $3.99 for 4 ($1 each)
1 patty = 110 calories, 3.5g fat, 350mg sodium

The caveat here is that the died-in-the-wool meat-eaters were a little harder to please (no surprises there). A few found here and there "A vague hint of soy flavor" and they said "It does not stir a fire in my tastebuds." But considering what we're dealing with-a burger made from plant protein-their comments are helpful for those of us that are going the meatless route.

So it's good to know which grocery brands are the best, but for me the other caveat is the price of any these burgers. If your grocery budget is tight (as is mine), then the idea of making your own veggies burgers is attractive. I hunted and hunted and the recipe I decided to pass on received rave reviews over and over. It's from the site Minimalist Baker, and the author and chef, Dana, creates simple, delicious recipes that require 10 ingredients or less, one bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare. Just what we want, wouldn't you say?

And her easy grillable veggie burger meets this criteria-especially the delicious part. Here's Dana's recipe. It takes about 30 minutes to makes these, if you already have cooked rice in the fridge. Try it and let me know what you think.

EASY GRILLABLE VEGGIE BURGER (serves 5)

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup raw walnuts (or substitute bread crumbs)

1/2 tablespoon grape seed or avocado oil, plus more for cooking

3/4 cup finely diced white onion

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for coating burgers

½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more for coating burgers

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans*, well rinsed, drained and patted dry

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (if gluten free, use gluten free bread crumbs)

3-4 tablespoons vegan BBQ sauce

If your brown rice isn't cooked yet, start there by following this method below for the best results. Otherwise, move onto the next step.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add raw walnuts and toast for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown. Let cool and move onto the next step.

In the meantime, heat the same skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 Tbsp oil and onion. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until onion is fragrant, soft, and translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.

Once walnuts are cooled, add to blender or food processor with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and coconut sugar and blend until a fine meal (see photo) is achieved. Set aside.

To a large mixing bowl, add drained, dried black beans and mash well with a fork, leaving only a few whole beans (see photo).

Next add cooked rice, spice-walnut mixture, sautéed onion, panko bread crumbs, BBQ sauce, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon for 1-2 minutes, or until a moldable dough forms. If dry, add extra 1-2 Tbsp BBQ sauce. If too wet, add more panko bread crumbs. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

For larger burgers, divide into 5 patties (1/2 cup in size), or form 10 smaller burgers (1/4 cup in size). To help form the patties, line your 1/2 or 1/4 measuring cup with plastic wrap and pack with burger mixture. Press down to pack firmly, then lift out by the plastic wrap's edge, and slightly flatten with hands to form a 3/4-inch thick patty. Set on a baking sheet or plate for grilling.

If grilling, heat the grill at this time and brush the grill surface with oil to ease cooking. Otherwise, heat the same skillet you used earlier to medium heat.

Once skillet is hot, add just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of your skillet, then add your burgers - only as as many as will comfortably fit in the pan. Otherwise, add burgers to the grill and close lid.

Cook for 3-4 minutes or until well browned on the underside, then flip gently. They aren't as firm as meat burgers, but will definitely hold their shape. Reduce heat if cooking/browning too quickly. Cook for 3-4 minutes on other side.

Remove burgers from heat to let cool slightly, and prepare any other toppings/sides at this time (such as grilling/toasting your buns).

Serve burgers as is, or on toasted buns with desired toppings. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. See notes for freezing/reheating instructions.

NOTES:
*One 15-ounce (425 g) can of black beans yields only 1 1/4 cups black beans. So if using canned, be sure to grab two cans! Also, if black beans are unsalted, add 1/4 tsp extra salt to burger mixture.
*For a simple burger sauce mix 2 parts vegan mayo and 1 part ketchup. Add hot sauce or Sriracha for extra heat.
*To freeze for later, cook burgers as instructed on grill or skillet. Then set on a baking sheet or plate and freeze. Once frozen completely, seal in a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 weeks. Reheat in a 375 degree F oven on a bare baking sheet for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through and golden brown (or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes).

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